In recent years there have been a number of proposals for vehicle occupant restraint systems which include a shoulder belt leading from a retractor located generally at the center of the vehicle adjacent the lower rear portion of the seat upwardly and outwardly to an anchor affixed to the upper rear portion of the vehicle door. When the door is opened, the belt is pulled from the retractor, and because the rear of the door moves forwardly as well as outwardly, the shoulder belt is moved some distance forward from the restraint configuration. That forward movement releases an occupant from restraint and permits him or her to leave the vehicle, or if he or she is not in the vehicle, permits him or her to enter the vehicle. However, the amount of forward movement of the belt is generally inadequate to make it convenient and easy for an occupant to enter or leave the seat and the occupant generally must push the belt out of the way to either enter or leave.
An object of the present invention is to improve such a belt system by increasing the amount of clearance between the occupant and the belt when the door is open, thereby facilitating entry or departure of an occupant to or from the vehicle.